Jonathan Stewart Retires From NFL
Jonathan Stewart is calling it a career. On Tuesday, the longtime NFL running back announced his retirement and signed a one-day deal with Carolina so that he could leave the game as a member of the Panthers. 
Stewart pretty much spent his whole career with the Panthers, save for six carries with the Giants in 2018 before being placed on IR. In ten years with the Panthers, he amassed 7,318 rushing yards and 51 touchdowns on the ground. He also logged 162 catches for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns.
Stewart was an immediate difference-maker for the Panthers after being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in 2008. Paired with DeAngelo Williams as one half of the “Double Trouble” tandem, J-Stew compiled 836 yards in his rookie season. Stewart would go on to top 1,100 yards in his sophomore season as a pro and flirt with the 1,000-yard mark in 2015, his lone Pro Bowl season.
Stewart, 32, will now be able to focus on other endeavors while spending more time with his family.
Gettleman Intent On Adding Pass Rusher
Connected to two positions primarily throughout the pre-draft process, the Giants appear certain to fill one of those early. Dave Gettleman wants a pass rusher “in the worst way,” a veteran NFL exec told NBC Sports’ Peter King, before adding the team will draft an edge player with one of its first three picks. New York holds picks 6, 17 and 37 but also has been understandably linked to quarterbacks after passing on them early in last year’s draft. The Giants have met with just about every top- and second-tier pass-rushing, hosting Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, Brian Burns, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Jaylon Ferguson on visits. After trading away Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon in consecutive offseasons, the Giants boast one of the most edge defender-needy depth charts in the game. Their Vernon-powered pass-rushing group last year registered just 30 sacks.
While the Giants may be zeroing in on Dwayne Haskins, they have also done work on possible second-round quarterbacks Will Grier and Jarrett Stidham — in the event Gettleman would dare push his post-Eli Manning QB need to 2020 and prioritize pass rushers early. He has said he would not view a non-first-round pick as a legitimate long-term quarterback solution.
Gettleman: Beckham Deal An “Offer I Couldn’t Refuse”
In the lead up to the NFL Draft, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman addressed the team’s trade of Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns for a first- and third-round pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers, calling it an offer he couldn’t pass up, Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor writes. 
“It was a business decision,” Gettleman said. “Back in the day when you franchise-tagged a player, if someone came and signed them, that gave you two first-round picks. That’s only happened once in the history of the NFL, and that was Sean Gilbert.
“So basically I had a team call me up that offered me not only two No. 1 picks [Peppers was a first-round draft pick in 2017], but a third-round pick as well. And it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Though the deal appeared too good to pass up to Gettleman, it did leave $16MM in dead money for the Giants, who inked the receiver to a five-year, $95 million contract ($65MM guaranteed) back in August.
It was just the latest move that has drawn the ire of Giants fans. Many were also upset when the team passed on taking Sam Darnold with the No. 2 pick to take Saquon Barkley. Though Barkley impressed as a rookie, the team still has a 38-year-old quarterback in Eli Manning it needs to find a successor for. The plan appears to be to take that signal-caller with one of its first-round picks this Thursday.
Giants WR Corey Coleman Signed New Deal
Although original reports indicated Giants wide receiver Corey Coleman had signed his original round restricted free agent tender for the 2019 season, he actually agreed to a new one-year deal worth only $720K, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, despite the fact that his RFA tender would have been worth $2.025MM, Coleman won’t end up losing any money.
As a former first-round pick, Coleman’s rookie deal was fully guaranteed. The Bills, who acquired Coleman from the Browns last year before subsequently releasing him, are still responsible for the $2.039MM that Coleman has guaranteed for the 2019 campaign. Therefore, Coleman will now collect $720K from New York and roughly $1.3MM from Buffalo, per Duggan,
Here’s where things get interesting: Coleman’s new pact with the Giants also contains approximately $1.7MM in incentives, reports Duggan. Thus, the 24-year-old pass-catcher can actually earn more than $2.4MM if he maxes out his incentive-based pay. If the Giants release Coleman before the regular season begins, they won’t owe him any money, and the Bills would be responsible for the totality of his remaining guarantees ($2.039MM).
The 15th overall selection in the 2016 draft, Coleman appeared in eight games for the Giants in 2018. While he managed only five receptions on eight targets, Coleman could have a path to playing time next season on a New York depth wide receiver depth chart that is relatively barren behind Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate.
Giants Zeroing In On Dwayne Haskins?
Plenty has come out of the Giants’ building about their No. 6 overall pick. For the most part, recent weeks have placed them in a defense-first camp at that spot. It is possible the team had smokescreen intentions.
Dwayne Haskins‘ stock may or may not have dropped, with reports he now may be the fourth quarterback selected. But the Giants may remain high on him. Sources in other teams’ front offices are convinced the Giants have “always” wanted Haskins at No. 6, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes, adding Big Blue has researched the Ohio State product more than any other team.
Haskins visited the Giants this month, joining Kyler Murray and the other top passer prospects in this year’s draft in doing so. A report surfaced about the Giants cooling a bit on Haskins, but this is not exactly a point on the NFL calendar where teams are forthright about their intentions.
The Giants obviously need a long-term option at quarterback, with this possibly being Eli Manning‘s last season, and Dave Gettleman has said the Chiefs’ model — which featured Patrick Mahomes sitting behind Alex Smith as a rookie — is a setup he would be interested in using. But New York also has major needs on defense, which could be addressed at No. 6 in a defense-heavy first round.
Gettleman said this week the Giants would not force a quarterback pick. They have obviously proven this to be the case, having made the scrutinized Saquon Barkley-over-Sam Darnold selection last year. Haskins did not receive the steady buzz Darnold did, instead breaking out as a sophomore and entering the draft.
“I’m just telling you, we’re not going to force a pick,” Gettleman said, via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. “You can’t draft for need, you’ll get screwed every time. You’ll make a mistake.”
While passing on one of the defenders will leave the Giants possibly without a blue-chip Week 1 starter in this draft, they also have possessed top-six picks in each of the past two years. Not addressing their biggest big-picture need with either of those choices would look a bit strange. But they remain open to extending Manning into 2020, pointing to a possible scenario where the team again passes on a quarterback and attempts to have Manning tutor one next year.
Quarterback Still In Play For Giants At #6
The Giants have been one of the most heavily scrutinized teams leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft. Many observers thought they were going to take a quarterback with the second overall pick, but they passed on signal-callers like Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, and Josh Rosen to take Saquon Barkley. After Eli Manning had another disappointing season, it seemed like his time as New York’s quarterback was coming to an end, and that the Giants would almost certainly take on early this year. Instead, the Giants have more or less doubled down. They’ve already declared Manning will be the starter in 2019, and they’re reportedly even open to him starting in 2020 and beyond. As the draft got closer, the idea of the Giants passing on a quarterback began to pick up more and more steam.
But now we’re finally getting some pushback on that, and momentum appears to be heading the other way with the draft less than a week away. “Several smart people around the NFL are convinced” the Giants will use the sixth overall pick on a passer, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network hears (Twitter link). We heard yesterday that the Giants are doing their homework on West Virginia quarterback Will Grier, who could be a target on Day 2. Overall, the Giants have done a pretty good job keeping us all in the dark about their intentions, and we won’t know for sure what they’re doing until draft day.
Giants Have Done Work On Will Grier
- Both the Giants and Panthers have done plenty of work on Will Grier, La Canfora adds. The West Virginia passer profiles as someone who could be available in Round 2. New York holds pick No. 37, Carolina No. 47. This is the latest we’ve heard on the Panthers’ interest in Grier. Although Carolina brass has reportedly not done more research than usual on quarterbacks in preparing for this draft, Cam Newton has not resumed throwing and is going through extensive shoulder rehab in a second offseason in three years.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/19
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Brant Weiss (Alliance of American Football)
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: CB LB Isaiah Irving, DE Roy Robertson-Harris (exclusive rights free agents)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: DB Jordan Lucas (restricted free agent)
- Re-signed: K Harrison Butker, DT Justin Hamilton (ERFAs)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: CB Trevor Williams (RFA)
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: S Blake Countess (RFA)
- Re-signed: DE Morgan Fox, DB Dominique Hatfield, WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR JoJo Natson, DB Kevin Peterson (ERFAs)
New York Giants
- Re-signed: WR Corey Coleman (RFA)
Oakland Raiders
- Re-signed: WR Marcell Ateman, K Daniel Carlson, T Justin Murray (ERFAs)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: TE Xavier Grimble (RFA)
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: DB Greg Mabin (ERFA)
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Kelce, Giants
Here’s a look at the NFC East:
- Eagles center Jason Kelce says he played through a grade two MCL sprain, a broken foot, a “torn elbow” and other nagging injuries in 2018 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Kelce, who recently re-upped with the team on an extension to take him through the 2021 season, says he’s not quite 100%, noting that he’s “as healed as I’m going to get.” Following the Eagles’ Divisional Round loss to the Saints, Kelce hinted that he may end up retiring, so it’s unlikely that Kelce will actually play through ’21. Instead, his new deal simply signals that he’s committed to play this season.
- Eagles running back Josh Adams is expected to miss the start of the team’s offseason conditioning program as he recovers from shoulder surgery, Mike Kaye of NJ.com hears. The good news is that Adams’ six-month timetable from January labrum surgery should put him in line to participate in July’s training camp. Adams put himself on the map last year with a team-leading 511 rushing yards plus three touchdowns. His usage dropped after five consecutive starts, but he’ll have an opportunity to build on that progress in 2019.
- Sterling Shepard‘s contract extension talks with the Giants appeared to have picked up after the Odell Beckham trade, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com tweets. Shepard’s new deal – a four-year, $41MM pact – was larger than expected, though the going rate for wide receivers shot up dramatically this offseason. Had the Giants not extended Shepard, teams such as the Patriots would have been ready to pounce on him in free agency next year.
NFL Draft Notes: Giants, Haskins, Metcalf
The Giants will host Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins on a top 30 visit on Monday and Tuesday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). After the G-Men brought out the big guns for Haskins’ Pro Day, chatter is building about the Giants possibly targeting the signal caller with the No. 6 overall pick.
Fully expected to become a top-10 pick, Haskins also met with the Broncos (No. 10) and the Redskins (No. 15) last week. The Giants appear to be well in range, but teams tend to move up and reach for stud QBs. The Giants also have the firepower necessary to move up for Oklahoma star Kyler Murray, but they may prefer to spread the wealth and address other areas instead, including the pass rush.
Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:
- Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf visited the Ravens on Monday, Rapoport tweets. Metcalf could give them a much-needed shot in the arm at WR, but it’s not a given that he’ll be available when they’re called to the podium at No. 22. For now, their WR consists of new addition Seth Roberts, Willie Snead, Chris Moore, and 2018 draft picks Jordan Lasley and Jaleel Scott.
- Speaking of the Ravens‘ WR need, they’ll host Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown on Monday, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). This year, the Ravens are set to pick at No. 22 overall with no picks in the second round due to last year’s Lamar Jackson trade.
- More from Rapoport, who notes that Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell is visiting with the Bengals. Campbell is a very unlikely target for Cincinnati at No. 11 overall, but he could be a candidate for their second-round choice at No. 42. Last year, Campbell broke out with 90 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns.
- Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary will huddle up with the Seahawks and Raiders this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.
- Arizona State wide receiver will meet with the N’Keal Harry 49ers on Monday before traveling to the Seahawks, Pelissero hears. Projections for Harry are all over the board, but he appears to be a late-first to early-second round type.
- Washington tackle Kaleb McGary will visit the Seahawks on Monday and the Falcons on Tuesday, Schefter hears (Twitter link). The Falcons’ No. 14 pick would probably be a bit high for McGary, who projects as a right tackle at the next level, but a trade-down scenario could bring him to Atlanta.
- The Patriots have done “extra pre-draft” work on Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham and Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson, both of whom visited recently (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Versatile Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford spent Friday visiting with the Bengals, who pick No. 11 (Twitter link via Rapoport). Ford was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2018 and helped Oklahoma win Joe Moore Award, given to the country’s best offensive line.